Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin praises police for bravery

New Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin has praised police for their actions on the day her predecessor was attacked and died in Birstall.

Ms Brabin described the death of Jo Cox as an “assault on the principles and basis of our democracy”.

She used her maiden speech in the House of Commons to pay tribute to Ms Cox as her “friend and inspiration” as well as the “dignity” shown by her husband, Brendan.

Speaking in a debate on police safety, Ms Brabin praised the “brave officers of West Yorkshire Police who reacted so swiftly and professionally on that awful day in June”.

She continued: “A community that could have become overun with panic with such a terrible act taking place in broad daylight in the sleepy village I grew up in was looked after admirably by our police in no small part because of the swiftness with which they made an arrest.

“What happened in Batley and Spen was a violent attack on a member of this House but I’d like to take this moment to thank the police officers themselves who put their lives on the line every single day.”

Ms Brabin used her speech to hail the importance of libraries to communities.

She also called for action on housing, pointing to her own experience of moving into a council home after her family struggled to keep up with payments on their mortgage.

Speaking for the Government, Policing Minister Brandon Lewis said: “I want to make sure that we are doing all that we can to support frontline police officers and police staff as well as the public sector more generally.

“There needs to be a very clear message that assaults and bad behaviour towards people who are serving the public. who are public servants, is unacceptable.”

Mr Lewis said anyone who assaults a police officer should “feel the full force of the law”.